Editorial: We lead way in bullying battle

Cyberbullying is a serious problem. Photo/Thinkstock

Cyberbullying is back in the spotlight following the death of cybertroll victim Charlotte Dawson.

It is on the increase, says one local victim in our special report on page 9, and NetSafe executive director Martin Cocker agrees.

Two Tauranga teens we spoke to were bullied to such an extent that they were driven from their schools. They believe bullying should be dealt with by parents, teachers and the police.

Legislation now before Parliament would make it a crime to attack others online in a world-first move by the Government.

The new law would make it an offence to send or post harmful messages - punishable by a $2000 fine or three months' jail - and create a specialised enforcement agency to deal with cyberbullying complaints.

The challenge in implementing this will be to measure what exactly is harmful. A comment that one person may brush off as a joke may send another under the duvet.

After writing an opinion piece in support of the Pilot Bay residents who did not want a barbecue across the street, online debate on a Facebook page included speculation whether I had hairy armpits (I don't) or if I ate my dinners out of plastic Waitrose trays (sounds nice). Another said I was the Barbie. One even wondered where I lived.

Pretty tame and my colleagues and I had a chuckle. But it gave me a rare insight into how quickly online comments can escalate.

It surprised me most in this case that many of the posters were old enough to know better.

If one was a young teen, or alone without family and friends, online comments could be hurtful, even sinister.

So despite the limitations of the bill, like Netsafe's Martin Cocker in our story, I'm proud New Zealand is leading the way with a proactive response to this growing world problem.

Mental Health Foundation NZ chief executive Judi Clements also gives excellent advice for any victims of cyberbullying or indeed any bullying.

"Focus on the people that you know, the people that you trust, the people who you can talk to. The people you respect and value, the people who love you."